There is a need for a leash that can be used in teaching an obedience competition dog to look in a direction desired by the handler, especially in the same direction as the dog handler's upper body, while keeping attention to the handler for cues. Teaching a dog to focus its attention on the handler is an important part of dog training, especially in competition obedience dog training. The ability of a dog to focus on the handler can also be important for the safety of the dog as well as people and other animals near the dog and its handler as it competes.
Various training aids and methods have been used since the domestication of dogs to assist in correcting, refining and altering the behavior of dogs. Leashes of various types have been used for many years in walking and training dogs. Early leashes consisted of rope, or a rope-like material, having a loop which was placed around the dog's neck. Leashes developed over time and today generally consist of an elongated leather, fiber or cloth web or metal chain member having a loop handle at one end and a fastening clip at the opposite end. The leashes are connected to a collar or a harness by connecting the fastening clip to the collar or harness. In recent years the focus on training equipment has generally shifted from leashes to collars, where the leash is often used as an extension of a handlers arm.
Numerous types of collars have been sold as for use in training dogs. Many of the collars are used to provide negative feedback to the dog when a certain behavior, such as pulling when trying to walk ahead of the handler where the dog takes the handler for a walk, occurs. These types of collars do not provide a way to use the leash that provides positive feedback.
Two types of collars that have traditionally been used in training a dog are known as (1) a choke collar or choke chain and (2) a pinch or prong collar (FIG. 8). These collars work by primarily by negative reinforcement. When an undesired behavior occurs, such as trying to pull towards strangers or other dogs, the collar on the dog neck tightens as the leash attached to the collar is pulled on, from pulling by the dog and the handler as she/he attempts to control the dog, or both. The tightening of the collar causes the choke collar or the pinching elements of a prong collar against the neck of the dog. This causes some level of discomfort and often some level of pain to the dog. Use of a choke chain or prong collar often requires severe tightening of the collar on the dog's neck before a desired behavior correction is achieved. While this type of collar may be useful in correcting many undesired behaviors, one of the limitations of its use is that it does not direct a dog's attention to what is desired, but rather away from what is not desired.
There are also many types of electronic training collars used that control the behavior of a dog through the use of electrical stimulation delivered to the dog's neck by prong shaped electrodes are known in the art. Like choke chains and prong collars, electronic collars generally work by negative reinforcement and do not provide easy way to teach and reinforce a behavior, or a change in behavior, through positive means.
Training halters are another type of collar that has been used to change and control the behavior of a dog. The idea behind the use of the halter is to cause the dog to voluntarily comply with a handler's desires when the dog wants to go in a different direction than its handler or wants to move faster or slower than the handler. In using a halter, a leash snaps onto the collar of the halter under the chin of the dog. When the handler pulls on the leash, the dog's head will be pulled down and/or to the side, making it very difficult, and virtually impossible, for the dog to move ahead or pull the handler forward. Another objective of the use of some types of halters is to distribute the force generated from the handler pulling on the leash over a different and larger area of the dog than occurs using choke or prong collars. This reduces the discomfort or pain caused by using a halter compared to a choke or prong collar, where the choke collar or prongs/spikes of pinch or prong collar are forced into the neck of the dog. The Humane Society of the United States has indicated in its article of Sep. 13, 2013 entitled “How to Use a Head Halter on Your Dog” (www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/how_to_use_head_halter.html) that a halter is “A very humane, effective way to restrain your dog.” The article also teaches:                What's a halter?        A head halter is a special kind of collar designed for dogs who like to pull their people when they walk. It consists of a strap that goes around your dog's nose and another strap that goes around his neck, just behind his ears. The leash fastens to the halter under the dog's chin to a ring that's also attached to the nose strap.        When your dog begins to pull, the design of the head halter causes the dog's nose to be turned down and back toward you, which makes it physically difficult for him to continue pulling.        The head halter is a very humane method of restraint because it doesn't cause any pain. It works much better to stop a dog from pulling than a choke chain or prong collar. Some brand names of head halters include “Gentle Leader,” “Promise Collar,” and “Halti.”        
Other types of commercially halters that have been commercially available include the K9 Kumalon®, BeHave® and Snoot Loop®.
A relatively new type of collar, a limited slip collar (also known as a Martingale collar), has been available for use on dogs. The limited slip collar was adapted for use on dogs from martingale tacks that were used on horses to control the height of the horses head and prevent the horse's head from raising above a certain level. The limited slip collar used on dogs does not provide control of the dog raising its head. Martingale collar consists of two connected loops, as shown in FIG. 1. The larger loop is placed around the dog's neck. The smaller loop, known as the control loop, passes through the two rings on each end of the larger loop. A leash can be connected to the active D ring on the control loop. (See FIG. 1) The dog can be controlled by pulling on the leash, which pulls on the control loop, causing the larger loop on the limited slip collar to contract around the neck of the dog. Originally the larger loop was made of leather or a web-type fabric. More recently, the limited slip collar has also become available with the larger collar being a choke or pinch collar.
While all types of collars are useful control aids and attire for dogs, the leash is an important device used in training dogs, especially competition obedience dogs.
There is a need for a leash that can be used in a positive motivation system that will assist in handling, controlling, and training dogs, especially where it is desirable to have the dog focus on the handler as in competition obedience venues.
The leashes and methods of using the leashes described herein are particularly useful for teaching a dog to look in a direction desired by the handler, especially in the direction of the dog handler's upper body to accomplish competition heelwork cues. The leashes and methods of using the leashes are particularly useful for dogs and handlers that participate in obedience competitions, but can also be used in a variety of other types of dog training activities.
More particularly, the invention relates to a leash adapted to be attached to a collar on a dog where a chin cradle on the leash is placed under the dog's chin to elicit a desired behavior while training the dog. In some embodiments, the leash is permanently connected to the collar. The leash described herein is an aid like an extra hand under the dogs chin.